top 4 finish

Reading (8/11 to be relegated – bet365) midfielder Jay Tabb reckons it will be sooner rather than later that the Royals register their first Premier League victory of the season.

A last-minute strike from Hal Robson-Kanu was required for Reading to get a point from their 3-3 clash with Fulham on Saturday, but it left them sitting in the drop zone and without a win from their opening eight games.

Reading face Arsenal in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night (bet365 - match prices Reading 16/5, draw 13/6, Arsenal 5/6) and it could provide a nice distraction from the rigours of Premier League life.

Next up in the league is a game with rock-bottom QPR at Loftus Road on Sunday and fans will be buoyant this can finally be the weekend Reading record a Premier League win, especially given the fact they have failed to hold onto a lead in their last three matches (bet365 - match prices QPR 5/6, draw 13/5, Reading 10/3).

Tabb told the Reading website he believes it’s a matter of time until they final get that win and their performances to date deserve more than their current points total suggests.

“We’ve been in winning positions a lot now and we’ve got to see things out and get a win on the board,” he said.

“But it’s important not to be harsh on yourself because there are positives to take from the game. It’s not as if we’re getting beat three of four nil every week – a win is in sight.

“The moral in the squad is good because it looks like we can win games and I’m sure the first one is round the corner.”

Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard believes his side are “in trouble” if they continue to be on the receiving end of refereeing decisions like the ones against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday (Liverpool 7/1 with bet365 to finish in the top four).

Reds striker Luis Suarez saw his 93rd-minute goal ruled out for offside, though replays suggested he was well behind the last defender when the ball was headed towards him by team-mate Sebastian Coates.

The game was level at 2-2 at the stage, with the Toffees having fought back from 2-0 in the frantic first half.

With just seconds remaining, Liverpool would have almost certainly gone on to win the game had the goal been given.

The point lifted Brendan Rodgers’ men up to 12th in the Premier League, though they would have gone one place higher had Suarez’s strike stood (Liverpool 11/10 with bet365 to finish in the top six).

Liverpool skipper Gerrard revealed he spoke to the linesman after the game and wasn’t satisfied with the reasons given for disallowing the goal.

He feels his side have every right to feel hard done by and is concerned that there may be similar incidents in matches throughout the season.

“I’ve seen it (Suarez’s disallowed goal) again and we can feel sorry ourselves because it was a clear goal,” said the England captain.

“There is no offside and it’s difficult for me to explain it. The only person who can explain it is the linesman. I asked him after the game if it was offside and he said ‘I think so’.

“That’s not good enough. If every decision in this league is based on ‘we think so’ then we’re in trouble.”

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has praised team-mate Phil Jagielka for his performances so far this season ahead of the highly-anticipated Merseyside derby against local rivals Liverpool this weekend (5/1 Everton Premier League top four finish – bet365).

The England centre-back was a standout performer in the Toffees’ 1-1 draw with QPR on Sunday, with some impressive tackles and blocks throughout the game at Loftus Road.

Howard was pleased with how the England international performed in the capital, as Everton continue to sit in fourth place in the Premier League table.

He said: “Jags was immense. He’s a leader, he’s solid – and he was an animal against QPR.

“He’s grown and grown and looks like he will cement himself in the England team playing like that. He’s been doing that for us for years.

“He’s been a rock at Everton for a long time and we need him to have the momentum going into the derby.”

Howard and Jagielka will be in action again on Sunday, when Davis Moyes’ men host 13th-place Liverpool at Goodison Park (Everton 17/10 draw 23/10 Liverpool 8/5 Match Betting – bet365).

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has insisted he can see himself finishing his managerial career at the Britannia Stadium with the Premier League outfit (10/1 Stoke City Premier League relegation – bet365).

The 54-year-old has been the mastermind behind getting the Staffordshire outfit into the English top flight and more impressively has been able to keep them there for five years.

Having made Stoke an established Premier League club, Pulis appears content to keep working under chairman Peter Coates and can see himself ending his career with the Potters.

The Welshman said: “I’m hoping to be here for a few more years, and I hope Peter and the family are here for a few more years, and we’ve got to gradually move it on.

“I don’t see myself anywhere else. I’ve got fantastic respect for the area. I enjoy the football club, and my relationship with the Coates family is first class.”

Stoke currently find themselves in the 13th place in the Premier League table after a steady start to the season.

The Potters will be back in action this weekend when they host Sunderland, with the Black Cats sitting just one place below Stoke in the league (Stoke 1/1 draw 23/10 Sunderland 3/1 Match Betting – bet365).

The England international, who missed the end of last season with an ankle injury, has struggled to earn a regular place in the Villa starting XI.

Bent earned a start in Villa’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham on Saturday which saw the West Midlands outfit move down into 17th place in the Premier League table.

The 28-year-old has admitted the season so far has been difficult for him on an individual level but he has insisted he has faith in the manager.

Bent told Sky Sports News: “Obviously any player who values himself wants to play week in, week out.

“When you start playing rotation systems it is difficult to find a rhythm as such, especially when you are a front man, but it is the manager’s decision and we live by that and you have to keep working hard in training and showing him that you want to play.”

Villa’s next game on Saturday will see Lambert host his former club Norwich City, who earned their first win in the Premier League last weekend with a victory over Arsenal at Carrow Road (Villa 10/11, draw 13/5, Norwich 3/1 Match Betting – bet365).